How to avoid that Laurel and Hardy moment
CHANGE A LIGHT BULB
Do this task in daytime but not before turning the mains power off at the fuse box. This is a necessary precaution against unexpected loose wires in light fittings that can trigger dangerous electric shocks.
Swapping all your traditional bulbs for light-emitting diode (LED) lights can knock £240 off your annual electricity bill if you do it for the whole house.
PREPARE
Before using a paintbrush or wallpapering, all cracks and holes should be patched up with filler using a filler knife. This should then be sanded with a rough, then fine, high grade sanding paper on a sanding block.
Brand new plaster needs a sealant before painting. Wash the surface with sugar soap using a sponge. Put on a coat of primer paint for surfaces not painted before. Make sure all furnishings and carpet are removed or fully covered.
HANG WALLPAPER
Avoid the Laurel and Hardy routine by using a stepladder and holding the paper with the edge to the top of the wall and brushing it gently down to the skirting. Mark a cutting line with the back of your scissors – then with a metal ruler follow this line with a sharp blade knife. These days it is often recommended that you paste the wall and not the paper as it makes the job easier.
PUT UP A SHELF
Before doing any hammering or drilling, use a hand-held detector to ensure that there are no live wires or water pipes lurking behind the wall. These cost about £20.
If drilling into brick, make sure to use a masonry bit and set the drill to ‘hammer action’.
If it is a stud wall – with a hollow space behind plasterboard – you will need special wall plugs that grab hold of the plasterboard.